Recommendation Letter Essay

In my opinion, I have never before written a recommendation letter where the candidate and the opportunity were such a perfect fit. I have known Janet Lerner for two years now, since she took my introductory course in dinosaurs during her sophomore year. In my long teaching career, I have never met an undergraduate student with such a genuine and focused interest in paleontology, and such a clear aptitude for it. I will demonstrate this by speaking to Janet’s ability as a communicator, her specific interest in dinosaur paleontology, and her maturity and integrity. Janet informs me that you are seeking a skilled communicator to give tours of your animatronic displays. Even during her sophomore year, Janet was a skilled communicator on the subject of dinosaur paleontology. In my class, for which she received an A, Janet wrote two compositions: one on the roots of the discovery and the characteristics of Deinonychus; one evaluating the defensive capabilities of Euoplocephalus. Janet proved herself not only exceptionally articulate and schooled on the subject at hand, but she also showed herself capable of wielding an argument—moving from premise to conclusion based on relevant evidence. Janet also did all this with style and flair. I cite excerpts from her papers: â€Å"Previously seen as cold-blooded, pea-brained lizards . . .† and â€Å"The toe muscles acted as a spring mechanism to flick the claw around towards the back of the foot.† For me, such articulations underscore both Janet’s authentic fascination with dinosaurs and her ability to communicate that excitement and knowledge to others. As an academic advisor to the dormitory where Janet lives, I frequently witness her interactions with others and know first-hand of her community service. Last year, Janet was the elected vice-president in the dormitory, and in this role she was responsible for numerous functions, including faculty/student lunches and a recruiting phoneathon. Janet is well-respected in the dormitory—a popular figure known for her honesty, calm, and kindness. I have seen her handle delicate situations with discretion, and she handles herself in all situations with poise. Finally, Janet has strong convictions tempered by good judgment and reason; she has firm spiritual roots and an active, diverse, social life; she is loyal, committed, and clear-sighted. It is a rare treat to encounter a student as impressive as Janet Lerner, and if you give her the opportunity I am sure you will find her equally impressive. Please do give her your most thoughtful consideration.

Marketing in Contemporary Context

Marketing in Contemporary Contexts| October 15 2012 | From: Hong Minh VuStudent ID 1216011To: Dr. Amandeep TakharUnit leader of Marketing in Contemporary Contexts| | There can be various answers to this question, and it can be varied in depth and example. From my understanding, I feel that marketing does both. It creates and also satisfies needs of customers. For establised firms, it's essential to be able to satisfy the needs of customers. As they say, a satisfied customer is a profitable one.To be able to satisfy the customer's needs, the firm thus tries to understand it's customer's needs and then attempt try to deliver it. On the other hand, new firms or marketing these days also attempt to ‘create' needs. By doing so, the customer have a reason to buy the product. The basic reason customers purchase anything is they need it. However if customers have a perception that they do not need it, they may not purchase the product. Hence marketing these days have evolved to create needs for customers.Marketing these days does not only mean existing customers, which have needs but also non existing customers, which have no needs. Creating needs by marketing can mean the excellent usage of promotion activities, from words on a poster to colours on it. It can also mean effective sales techniques by the door to door salesman which can talk their way to sell you anything. The traditional concept of marketing was only about sales or meeting the â€Å"current needs† of a consumer. But the same cannot be felt, today with the number of firms on the rise in the same industry, state and even the same street.Everyone is in a race either to: * Capture a customer   and satisfy their needs * Create a customer and satisfy their needs. So what If the competitor has already captured the potential customer, there are many more people in the market yet to realize the need which is created but not actually needed. Let’s take an example. Mac Books or laptops are su ch a common commodity among students and even school kids irrespective of the fact that it is not really needed. Can’t they manage with a desktop at home? But now day’s companies do more! They educate people and give them eason to buy their products and this is what people might call it â€Å"creation of needs† people purchase something when they need it, if they think they do not need the product they may not purchase it. How many people today in Pakistan need I-pod? How many people really need Mobile + Internet + Camera + TV all in one set? Can we call it marketers created their needs? References Parsons, E. and Maclaran. P. (2010), Contemporary issues in Marketing & Consumer Behaviour, Butterworth Heinemann Kotler, P. and Keller, K. (2012), Marketing Management, Pearson Education

Going green

Argument Essay Draft Going Green Today in our society we are always thinking about what we have to do, how much time we have to do it, and what can we use to get it done. Unfortunately, we do not always think about what effect it is going to have on our environment. It does not have to be Earth Day to think about being green. Everyone should do their part in making the environment a safer place for future generations. To do this, we should reuse and recycle, find green alternatives at home, and lastly save energy to save money.There are a few different ways we can cut down on carbon dioxide emissions. For xample, we can start recycling steel, aluminum, and copper. Another is changing laws on discarding old appliances, reusing and rebuilding old engines. In Rhode Island starting in 2008 a law was passed stating that manufactures must run their own take-back program or participate in the state run take-back program. Which is a start, but there is no law regarding old engines. Next woul d be to recycle old garments, and use refillable glass bottles.If we can pass the laws to make it mandatory to reuse more items such as engines, then we can cut down on the carbon dioxide from the factories producing new engines. Another way is if we make ompanies like Coca-Cola use refillable glass bottles, then we can reduce how much plastic is used yearly and recycle more often. In 2009, the U. S. generated thirty million tons of plastic but only recycled two million tons. I use a reusable water bottle instead of using a new plastic bottle every day. Also I recycle any paper, plastics, and glass I do use daily.These small things can make a big difference. In some articles there are many steps to go green at home with little effort. They suggest letting the fresh air in, wiping one's feet to reduce using energy to clean, cleaning green, pulling the plug, and not touching the thermostat. Some articles suggest bringing one's own bags when shopping, and saying bye-bye to bottled wate r. When we go to the grocery store we should bring reusable shopping bags or ask for paper bags and recycle after using.In San Francisco, starting the beginning of 2013 all retail stores need to no longer have plastic shopping bags they can only have; compostable bags, recycled paper bags, or reusable bags. With this change the retail stores are now going to be charging ten cents per shopping bag. If we do this every time we go to the grocery store, then we can cut back on how many plastic bags are used, which an save our environment. I myself purchased a few reusable bags which I bring with me every time I go grocery shopping.Finally, there are also some ways to reduce energy and household expenses. To do this we should be raising (lower) the home thermostat, brew one's own coffee, take the â€Å"change a light† pledge which is to swap a regular light bulb for an energy star light bulb or CFL bulb. Another is to turn off and unplug electronics. Be mindful of paper products, make homemade cleaning products, and let clothes dry outside on the line. Another is slowing down on the highway, cutting back on driving by arpooling, and lastly, planting a tree.If we can all take charge and take a few of these steps such as unplugging electronics, using the dryer less, carpooling to work every day, then these simple steps can change our lives. By integrating these steps into our lives little by little, we can all cut back on how much energy we use. In 2008, the average cost for household energy was close to six thousand dollars. Just changing to a dial thermostat can save families hundred fifty dollars per year and by turning down the thermostat can save five percent on their energy bill. Consequently, these steps can save families money.In conclusion, we all need to take a few moments out of our day to think or actually do these tips on how to be â€Å"green†, then we could dramatically lessen our impact on our planet. But it doesn't Just stop with what o ur families do. We should pass the tips on to other family members and friends to get new ideas. Everyone should do their part in making the environment a safer place for future generations. It is important that we reuse and recycle, find green alternatives at home and save both energy and money in the long run. If we all Just practice these few simple tips on being â€Å"green†, then we will have a cleaner planet. Going green Argument Essay Draft Going Green Today in our society we are always thinking about what we have to do, how much time we have to do it, and what can we use to get it done. Unfortunately, we do not always think about what effect it is going to have on our environment. It does not have to be Earth Day to think about being green. Everyone should do their part in making the environment a safer place for future generations. To do this, we should reuse and recycle, find green alternatives at home, and lastly save energy to save money.There are a few different ways we can cut down on carbon dioxide emissions. For xample, we can start recycling steel, aluminum, and copper. Another is changing laws on discarding old appliances, reusing and rebuilding old engines. In Rhode Island starting in 2008 a law was passed stating that manufactures must run their own take-back program or participate in the state run take-back program. Which is a start, but there is no law regarding old engines. Next woul d be to recycle old garments, and use refillable glass bottles.If we can pass the laws to make it mandatory to reuse more items such as engines, then we can cut down on the carbon dioxide from the factories producing new engines. Another way is if we make ompanies like Coca-Cola use refillable glass bottles, then we can reduce how much plastic is used yearly and recycle more often. In 2009, the U. S. generated thirty million tons of plastic but only recycled two million tons. I use a reusable water bottle instead of using a new plastic bottle every day. Also I recycle any paper, plastics, and glass I do use daily.These small things can make a big difference. In some articles there are many steps to go green at home with little effort. They suggest letting the fresh air in, wiping one's feet to reduce using energy to clean, cleaning green, pulling the plug, and not touching the thermostat. Some articles suggest bringing one's own bags when shopping, and saying bye-bye to bottled wate r. When we go to the grocery store we should bring reusable shopping bags or ask for paper bags and recycle after using.In San Francisco, starting the beginning of 2013 all retail stores need to no longer have plastic shopping bags they can only have; compostable bags, recycled paper bags, or reusable bags. With this change the retail stores are now going to be charging ten cents per shopping bag. If we do this every time we go to the grocery store, then we can cut back on how many plastic bags are used, which an save our environment. I myself purchased a few reusable bags which I bring with me every time I go grocery shopping.Finally, there are also some ways to reduce energy and household expenses. To do this we should be raising (lower) the home thermostat, brew one's own coffee, take the â€Å"change a light† pledge which is to swap a regular light bulb for an energy star light bulb or CFL bulb. Another is to turn off and unplug electronics. Be mindful of paper products, make homemade cleaning products, and let clothes dry outside on the line. Another is slowing down on the highway, cutting back on driving by arpooling, and lastly, planting a tree.If we can all take charge and take a few of these steps such as unplugging electronics, using the dryer less, carpooling to work every day, then these simple steps can change our lives. By integrating these steps into our lives little by little, we can all cut back on how much energy we use. In 2008, the average cost for household energy was close to six thousand dollars. Just changing to a dial thermostat can save families hundred fifty dollars per year and by turning down the thermostat can save five percent on their energy bill. Consequently, these steps can save families money.In conclusion, we all need to take a few moments out of our day to think or actually do these tips on how to be â€Å"green†, then we could dramatically lessen our impact on our planet. But it doesn't Just stop with what o ur families do. We should pass the tips on to other family members and friends to get new ideas. Everyone should do their part in making the environment a safer place for future generations. It is important that we reuse and recycle, find green alternatives at home and save both energy and money in the long run. If we all Just practice these few simple tips on being â€Å"green†, then we will have a cleaner planet.

Why people are obsessed with their appearance Essay

Why people are obsessed with their appearance - Essay Example The appearance need not be lavish for all occasions but at least pleasant. Women generally tend to be give more importance to their appearance than men – this is because they are the fairer sex and it comes naturally for them. Men tend to focus on such things as fitness, body building etc. But one strong motivation for both genders is to be attractive to the opposite sex. Apart from appearance being helpful in attracting partners, it also helps establish status among peers. A good dressing sense and a well-kempt appearance will help gain respect among peers (provided, of course, that the individual's behavior is in line with his/her sophisticated outward appearance) What aids and facilitates this obsession is the multi-billion dollar advertising industry which repeatedly projects images of beauty and attractiveness (which are to a degree subjective) onto our television screens, newspaper columns and billboards. It is fair to say that the advertising industry is obsessed with s elling products (useful or not) to people (who want it not) in the guise of projecting them as essential commodities. Popular culture outlets such as Hollywood and Television also plays a part, in that, many ageing movie and TV stars resort to plastic surgery to revive their looks. Fans of the these stars then follow suit. But, in the final analysis, outward appearance cannot compensate for flaws of the personality.

An Annotated Bibliography on Child Abuse in America Coursework

An Annotated Bibliography on Child Abuse in America - Coursework Example There is dire need to reduce the number of divorces. Sexual abuse deprives children of their childhood. Society assumes immense responsibility to do what it can to prevent child sexual abuse and rescue them from further abuse in case prevention fails. Issues in the adjudication of cases of child sexual abuse include children’s competence to take an oath and to testify it, the believability of children’s testimony, and the accommodation of young witnesses in the courtroom. Despite the lack of ability of law to solve the issue of child abuse, law does play a cardinal role in the efforts of child protection. Courts need to coordinate to address such issues. Child abuse costs about $220 million daily and affects over a million children in a year. The direct cost of child abuse in 2012 was $33,333,619,510 whereas the indirect cost was $46,926,791,578. Sources of direct cost include acute medical treatment of children, mental health care system, child welfare system, and law enforcement. Sources of indirect cost include special education, early intervention, emergency housing, mental health care, juvenile delinquency, adult criminal justice costs, and lower worker productivity. With proper planning and implementation, it is possible to prevent the child abuse and neglect and accordingly, save all the costs associated with it. Childhood abuse and trauma have serious consequences. It causes numerous psychiatric disorders and symptoms in childhood and adulthood including post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, borderline personality disorder, learning disorders, somatization, substance use, sexual behavior problems, and dissociative disorders. Child abuse is also a cause of criminal behavior, and difficulties of general health. The family structure and maltreatment of children are related to each other. The immense impact of child abuse on the behavior and emotional

Police Officers Injuries related to work and what ii the solution Essay

Police Officers Injuries related to work and what ii the solution - Essay Example This is mainly evidence with patrol police officers who receive injuries or meet their deaths when they are outside their patrol vehicles. Arguably, few professionals experience the injury threats that police officers face during their careers. Health workplace is the key to any effective and successful law enforcement department. The department of police should understand that healthy police officers who work under safety and healthy workplaces are able to better perform their duties and serve the community effectively. The department executives must ensure that police agencies support the police officers’ safety and healthy. For, instance, the department of police should incorporate adequate measures to protect the employees from the adverse threats, which they face during their operations (Gundersen and Robert 62). Police executives should ask several questions to ensure the police officers’ wellbeing is fully protected (Ball 47). For example, what are the basic health and safety measures should the police department ensures to its employees? During large-scale epidemics, such as fighting against a terrorist group, which are the appropriate safety and health measures to ensure the police officers are healt hy and are able to undertake their duties? What benefits should the police officers derive from the health and safety program? This essay aims at explaining the types of injuries, police officers face during the line of duty and the appropriate safety and health programs that police department should implement (Gundersen and Robert 65). The paper also purports to provide some considerations for strengthening the current safety and health programs. This document begins with explaining the various types of injuries, police officers face related to their duties (Ball 49). It further proposes several health and safety programs that police departments should implement and explaining their benefits and stressing that it is only through the

Class 6340 week 6 discussion Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Class 6340 week 6 discussion - Assignment Example With an increase in the number of nurses with doctorate degrees, the quality of healthcare will improve immensely as they will not only offer more specialized treatment but also implement the nursing care and strategies that has been researched by the nurses with Masters and PhDs. My passion is to interact one on one with the patients and offer direct highly specialized treatment to them. This requires high educational level of expertise in various diseases and this I can get through obtaining a DNP and moving to be a specialist in any nursing location that is related to patient care. Other than that, I will be independent when offering the clinical services which provide more experience and freedom (Billings and Halstead, 2012). An increase in clinical experts other than all crowding into research field is a way to directly improve quality of the healthcare system and also prevent deaths of patients whose diagnosis requires a more knowledgeable nurse than a registered nurse. Having more DNPs who are independent brings about more creativity and room for brainstorming of new treatment plan for the patients. The negative effect of encouraging people to become DNPs is the market flooding with experts than the number of patients requiring such technical expertise. This therefore in the end will lead to redundancy and the quality of healthcare will reduce again in the end (Institute of Medicine, 2010). In order to bring optimal results, AACN needs to regulate the number of schools offering the DNP program and hence limiting the number of students that will graduate as DNPs and hence preventing an overflow in the market and too many independent nurses. Institute of Medicine. (October 2010). The Future of Nursing Leading Change, Advancing Health. Retrieved from:

To what extent do you think Curley's wife is responsible for her own Essay

To what extent do you think Curley's wife is responsible for her own death - Essay Example She wanted to have some fun but was suddenly killed. Who can be blamed for such an odd death? Nowadays a person like Lennie would not be put to death for such acts, but did justice really triumphed in Steinbeck’s novella?   The question is worth-discussing, so the present paper will try to find the answer to it. The given writing will try to prove that Curley’s wife still can be considered responsible for her own death. The real fault of Lennie There is a famous proverb that teaches us to forgive â€Å"As you blame others, blame yourself; as you would forgive yourself, forgive others†. The proverb precisely portrays a perfect situation in which we forgive others and consider ourselves to be guilty in our misfortunes. In reality, when some accident happens people tend to blame others in order to authorize themselves as much as it is possible in this or that situation. In the situation under consideration we will dare to state that Lennie was not completely guilt y of Curley’s wife death. Certainly, nowadays a person would be unavoidably convicted for such crime, even if a good lawyer would prove that it was manslaughter, but he would not be cruelly punished taking into account his disability. The irresponsibility of George and Curley’s wife It is also right and can’t be denied that George as well as Curley’s wife manifested great irresponsibility. Really, George left Lennie along notwithstanding that he knew pretty well that Lennie was mentally disabled. Curley’s wife in her turn also knew about Lennie’s disability but still did everything to provoke him to kill her. Lennie told her: â€Å"George says I ain’t to have nothing to do with you — talk to you or nothing†(A Mice and Men). However, she continued bothering him: â€Å"All the guys got a horseshoe tenement goin’ on. It’s on’y about four o’clock. None of them guys is goin’ to leave that t enement. Why can’t I talk to you? I never get to talk to nobody. I get awful lonely†(A Mice and Men). She knew about his disability and these actions were too stupid and too inappropriate. She had also a chance to learn about Lennie’s strength: â€Å"I was jus’ playin’ with him.... an’ he made like he’s gonna bite me.... an’ I made like I was gonna smack him.... an’.... an’ I done it. An’ then he was dead† (The Mice and Men). She could assume that if he killed his puppy by chance, he can kill by chance, so it is dangerous to be open with him. Moreover, she was glaringly dressed and this could also provoke Lennie. Certainly we may argue that the woman couldn’t even imagine such accident to have happened, however, being aware about his disability, she should have behaved with caution. In our time disabled people are accused of crimes but are not cruelly punished for them as they can’t be f ully responsible for their acts and simply need more care. Under no circumstances such people should be left alone. Therefore, if George had not left Lennie alone, the unhappy accident wouldn’t have happened. The reason of tragic event Tragic event happened when Lennie appeared unsupervised. Every person has a right to defend himself, but due to his mental disability, Lennie could do that only using his strength, so he started to grab Curley’s wife hair, because the woman was too open with him and this led to the weird death. She can be blamed for own death, because every person should know

Write about short fiction Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Write about short fiction - Essay Example In many ways, this adds to the subject of self-identity echoed by other writers as well. The story is written by Jhumpa Lahiri who is an Indian American author. She has been an experience writer from debut short story collection, Interpreter of Maladies and won the 2000 Pulitzer Fiction Prize. Her reputation and experience has not been hidden in her work of Hell-Heaven as a short story. Hell-Heaven talks about the struggles of living in the America with a Bengali culture. The struggle is shown in this short story from the characters Pranab Kaku and Usha. They both make decisions that make them prefer one culture over the other. Jhumpa Lahiri in her book Hell-Heaven explores geographies of intimacy and the manner in which various spaces control intimacies, re-form intergenerational intimacies and disrupt traditional narratives of intimacy. The author specifically focuses on second-generation immigrants of Bengali, detailing the unique challenges or experiences they encounter from a banished sense of the â€Å"familiar† intimacy of their motherland and the similar narratives of advances with which their fathers struggled. The woman in this short story is fundamentally responsible for depicting the boundaries of the old and new geographies of intimacy. This is a story that looks at simple human emotions like loneliness, jealousy, love and describes how various individuals change drastically over time due to geographical. The title is taken from this paragraph from the story Hell-Heaven: â€Å"He used to be so different. I don’t understand how a person can change so suddenly it’s just hel l-heaven† (p, 112). In Hell-Heaven, Pranab Chakraborty, is an MIT graduate student, Boston is considering returning to his motherland in Calcutta because of being homesickness. Through this thought, one can argue that despite the many privileges that these individuals in the Diaspora may have,

The Arch of Constantine Essay Example for Free

The Arch of Constantine Essay The Arch of Constantine has stood as one of the triumphal symbols in Rome, along with the Triumphal Arch, and the Arch of Titus. It was in 313 A. D, when Emperor Constantine the Great established what is known as the largest arch in Rome, situated near the Colosseum. Through the structure, the reliefs, and the mixture of historic scriptural decoration, the Arch of Constantine communicates a manipulative message of Imperial power. In addition, it is in the Formalist approach: consisting of line, shape and other various features, as well as the Marxist approach: which deals with the manipulation of art by the ruling class and conveying of social messages, that we can witness this message of Roman imperialism. Firstly, in its formalistic attributes, the monument holds a definite symmetrical appearance, consisting of three openings with the middle opening being the center of focus, as it is the largest of the three. As for the arch itself, it is made from pure marble with an evident repetition in components of four: from the columns, to the medallions, and also the Dacian statues on the attic of the monument, which were taken from the time of Trajan. As well, the rest of the arch is lavished with decorations of the original reliefs as well as the reliefs of other emperors from earlier monuments like Hadrian, Trajan, and Marcus Aurelius. In turn, the combinations of both old and new reliefs show the history of the Roman military campaign as well as the conflicting mixture of styles and traditions in Rome. When looking at the Arch from an Marxist approach, we can acknowledge its strategic placement in the city of Rome. In turn, we can read the reasoning in the placement of the monument when the theory of Marxism is understood as dealing with the struggle of the working class as well as the alienation of the ruling class. Being situated near the Colosseum and acting as a gate into the Palatine Hill, the Arch allows much public accessibility while the reliefs on the monument remind the public of the achievements and historical events in Rome. However, what is most evident is the constant reminder of the Emperor’s authority, a manipulative message that is perhaps repeated through out the whole arch. In furthering this, the monument was a glorious by pass in commemorating Constantine for his victory over Maxentius, his rival. However, it is also through this Arch that the Roman army travels to enter into battle, as well as returning home in victory. Besides the formal structure of the arch, the reliefs decorated upon it also impose a great notion on the power of the state. Reliefs all around the Arch display a record of military campaigns, conquest and Constantine’s personal qualities. Many of the reliefs are even reused from monuments of earlier emperors, such as the two-framed panels on the attic, originally found on a monument of emperor Marcus Aurelius. Another example is the Dacian statues situated in between the framed panels, while they were originally from a Trajanic monument. These reused imagery were all chosen to demonstrate the success and the official military role of the emperor. By doing so, Constantine hoped to gain some of the same honour and recognition as the earlier emperors did. In addition, the Arch consists of â€Å"Victories†, who are statues of powerful women with wings. Their symbolism is likewise to their name, suggesting to the viewer of Rome’s great success in battles won. In this way, Constantine uses these well-recognized, iconographical figures to interpret ideas to the people of Rome. However, besides the message of conquest, two longer panels are found under the medallions on both sides, illustrating the emperor’s influence on the people. The first panel, known as oratio, shows Constantine giving a public speech in the Roman Forum, suggesting leadership and guidance in the emperor. Within this panel, great emphasis is used to lead the viewer’s focus on none other than Constantine, as heads of Romans are generally turned to face the speaker. The second panel, called donatio, displays the emperor distributing money to the public, also showing the emperor’s influence on the people, and even his ability to provide for Rome at his own expense. In furthering these two panels, it is intriguing to find that the head of Constantine is missing in both pieces. This is due to the fact that his head was made of a different, perhaps finer marble and after time, has disconnected with the rest of the piece. However, despite the renewing of earlier monument figures, the reliefs on the Arch of Constantine no longer follow the same naturalistic styles but have become more abstract and formal. Losing the classicality of former monuments, the heads of individual figures are enlarged and stubbier, while their poses are more repetitive, and their carving is flatter. Yet through out many of the reliefs, the message stays the same, showing the emperor has the sovereign, triumphant one, who dominates in each scene. Furthermore, it is the formalistic attributes of the shape and structure of the arch, as well as the Marxist approach in the mixed reliefs that shape the Arch of Constantine as an icon of imperial power. In addition, much of these aspects that shaped the Arch can be seen in many structures in our world today. As well, the way we read these images can be applied to our modern structures, discovering the hidden agendas and implications in the piece. Likewise, facilities such as the White House or a courthouse can be seen with the same principles as icons of power and control as well as order. Other examples include the no longer existing World Trade Centers, which were the iconographical symbols of capitalism. As well, facilities like many schools and universities display the pride and control of the school staff through posters, banners. We are sometimes reminded of the achievements and respective position of the school as we enter its front doors. Similar to the Arch, these structures literally influenced the public, as people are bound to come in contact with them, walk pass them or even through them. Even sport arenas can be seen in the same light, as many stadiums display their historical success and victories or even legendary leaders. It is clear that the usage of formalistic structure and iconographical imagery, in the light of Marxism, is still relevant today. From propaganda, to commercial advertisements, to authoritative visuals, we are confronted in equally similar ways everyday.

Importance of employee relationship management

Importance of employee relationship management Employee-relationship management is an important aspect of any organizations success. The world is becoming increasingly global, the competition in different industries is soaring high coupled with rising recession woes and layoffs. Amidst, these kind of panicky and intense circumstances, stress levels at work places have been at an all time high. It is thus, very important to effectively manage employees in organizations. Social values and beliefs systems play a pivotal role in shaping up the attitude and behavior of various individuals and organizations towards employment-management relationship. Many individuals tend to look for a broader, introspective meaning in the work that will enable them to feel that they are contributing to the community at large. In most organizations, the urge to behave ethically and to assume responsibility for social and environmental consequences of their doing, has become mandatory in developing good employment relationship management at work. The tr end for individual and organizational behavior is more output oriented today. The output is in line with the ethical and social values that have a direct impact on psychological contracts created in todays organizations. This paper will critically analyze psychological contract in the contemporary organization. What are the issues associated with psychological contract, what are the ethical standards of behavior, in light of both, the individual as well as the organization. It is important to study this, because employee performance is directly related to his morale and higher the employee morale, the higher his productivity and higher the chances of enterprise productivity. According to Nelson, employees evaluate the organizations actions with respect to the contributions the organization has contracted deliver. When they see no discrepancies, the psychological contact continues to remain stead. On the other hand, Feldman believes that if a discrepancy is observed, the individual will undergo a cognitive process in figuring out if the discrepancy has a positive or a negative impact. If they feel that its a positive impact, then business continues as usual while if the impact is negative then the discrepancy is considered as a breach. Anderon and Schalk, Morrision and Robinso are of the view that the level of emotional involvement will determine if the breach is a violation indeed. They believe that a lot of factors are responsible in magnifying the scale of the loss. This includes the history and the current stature of the employment relationship too. This means that not every discrepancy can be considered as a breach and not every breach can be qualify to to be called contractual violated.However, the expanded interpretive framework. Thus, as explained by Nelson in his study, the expansion of the interpretive framework for the psychological helps us to look beyond the constraints associated with transactional and relational parameters that have held sway in most research related to psychological contract. It allows us to identify the boundaries of individual-organization,where relationships are subjective and can be affected by forces that exist beyond these boundaries. In another study conducted by Cheng Ping Chang and PO Chiun HSU, an interview method was used to explore the psychological contracts of temporary employees working at the Administration Bureau of South Taiwan Science Park. The results of the study suggest that improvements in management practices and worker welfare work positively. These suggestions can be employed by government agencies who hire temporary employees. The term psychological contract was introduced by Argyris in 1960. He linked it with an unwritten agreement. He explains that whenever an employment relationship exisits, an innate psychological contract takes form between the individual and the organization. On the other hand, Levinson believes that psychological contract is an unwritten, connotative contract on the general rights, duties, and expectations of employeer and employee. There are two dimensions of this contract: the individual and the employee. Schein on the other hand feels that psychological contract play s a pivotal role in shaping the behavior of an organization. These views were contradicted by Rousseau who recently explained that the psychological contract is more than just agreement between the employee and the organization. It is an individuals trust in the organizations. Its about the individuals belief of their employment and the the extent to which they feel that the employer is dedicated to them. Thus the perception of psychological contract varies in light of general expectations, the individuals belief about work, or their expected status in the organization. In Changs study a qualitative analysis was undertaken to determine the difference between the psychological contract as perceived by a temporary employee and as implemented by the employment company actually. For this purpose, interviews were conducted with employees at the Bureau of South Taiwan Science Park and the data consolidated and analysed. The results of the study demonstrate that ideal psychological contract of the temporary employee resembles that of a permanent employee. Because temporary employees, do not receive benefits such as bonuses and vacations,certain differences exist between the permanent and the temporary employee. In their study, Culliane and Tundane have questioned the theoretical deficiencies in the existing literatureon psychological contract. From the work of Argyris to Rousseau to Guest recently, there is a realization that more needs to be done to give the psychological contract a viable framework which is capable of understanding thhe complex nature of the relation between the employeer and the employee. They also threw light on some of the central points which have been left un-attended in literature. The need to theorize the psychological contract to advance understanding was voiced out by them. Irrespective of various theoretical and empirical implication, the paper realizes that the notion of psychological contract continues to be popular in todays age and time. In the study conducted by Jeffrey. N. Street, employee commitment to the organization was examined as an outcome variable fo the psychological contract. He explains it is generally referred by many as the employee perception of the value he gets in exchange of his work at employment. Streets study is primarily conceptual in nature with propositions related to the impact on individualism and collectivisim on the type of contract formed, whether transactional or relational are offered and discussed. Street draws comparison between the psychological contract of the Japenese and Americans. While Japaneese psychological contract of the employee is relational, in the United States, it is primarily transactional. In transactional contracts, there are tangible benefits such as salary betweent the employee and the employeer while high competitive wages and absence of long term commitments are characteristics of transactional contracts. Street proposed a study on mid-level managers and mid-career salaried professionals of Japanese-American firms stationed in the United States and of Japanese firms located in Japan. He believed that the organizational level and position of each participant would be identified by each company on the basis of the description of the target respondent. The study has its own limitations. The biggest problem in studying Japanese owned firms in the United States is the fact that they are unusual organizations and have little in common with other organizations. There is a lot of cultural diversity in the United States. It impacts the influence of individualism on the formation of the psychological contract. The study will have determine the impact of changes in work atmosphere in the United States where jobs are no longer considered as safe because of the extent of change in society in the last couple of decades.

Gender representation in contemporary superhero films

Gender representation in contemporary superhero films RESEARCH PROPOSAL Gender representation in contemporary superhero films Research Question How gender representation is portrayed in the contemporary Marvel superhero films? Overview of the Study This project will be evaluating how gender representation portrayed in 21st century Marvel superhero films. This research will concentrate on using Marvel’s The Avenger (dir. Josh Whedon, 2012) which is the assemblage of all contemporary Marvels’ superhero made after Ironman since 2008. Thompson (1999) and Bordwell (2006) both argued that Hollywood films often emphasize on character traits. Contemporary Hollywood filmmaking tends to draw on certain gender representational pattern of superhero is first and foremost a man. Therefore textual analysis will be used to analyze how masculinity and femininity values are constructed among the main characters in the film. Aim Objectives The aim of this study is to evaluate how gender representation portrayed in 21st century Marvel superhero films. The objective of this study is to analyze how masculinity and femininity values are constructed among the main characters in 21st century Marvel superhero films. Literature Review In the past seven years, majority number of blockbuster superhero action adventure films such as Batman, X-Men, Fantastic Four, Spiderman, Hellboy 1 and 2, Hulk, Ironman, and a host of other â€Å"men† have flown, stomped, fallen, and swung across screens in these Hollywood blockbusters (Stabile, 2009). In fact, Gray Kaklamanidou (2011) describes superhero as someone usually possesses a combination of mental and physical strength more than ordinary human being that fight against evil who will succeeds against all odds. These superhero characters are basically adapted from comic books. The characters in the film are presented in stereotypical manner such as either present male heroes and female damsels such as Superman Returns (2006), the Spider-Man films (2002, 2004, 2007) or else allow for a few female superheroes as part of a male-run-crime-fighting collective, as in X-Men Films (2000, 2003, 2006), and the Fantastic Four franchise (2005, 2007). Gallagher (2006) described masculinity as a product in our culture; the action film has historically been a ‘male’ genre, dealing with stories of male heroism and women as peripheral princesses. However these attributes and behaviors tend to shift over time and are constantly under negotiation in the film. Furthermore as Benshoff Griffin (2009) argued that although there are slight variations can be found in countless Hollywood films, the way of cinematically telling stories is basically the same today as it was in the 1930s. Classical Hollywood style is always formulated to spoon-feed story information to the spectator, thus keeping everything clearly understood by the audience. For instance, Thompson (1999) and Bordwell (2006) both argued that Hollywood films often emphasize on character traits. Contemporary Hollywood filmmaking tends to draw on certain gender representational pattern of superhero is first and foremost a man. Besides, the superhero is an American crea tion, born on the eve of World War II (Gray Kaklamanidou, 2011). Therefore the role of superhero is always associated with typical masculinity traits while the characters in superhero film are portrayed in stereotypical manners. Interestingly, over the past few decades, various male-dominated Hollywood genres have been adapted for female leads. Benshoff Griffin (2009) explained that the science fiction action-adventure film has also produced some strong female leads, played most notably by Sigourney Weaver in the Alien Films (1979, 1986, 1992, 1997) as well as Jovovich’s Alice in the Resident Evil film franchise (2002, 2004, 2007) has become the most financially successful female action character of the era. However, mainstream Hollywood entertainment still negotiates gender in ways that uphold and maintain patriarchal privilege (Cohan Hark, 1993). The nostalgic Hollywood blockbuster formula, with its stalwart male heroes, continues to drive the industry. Another way of looking at the gender representation in superhero film is that, Hollywood filmmaking tends to exploit sexy male bodies in action while female action adventure heroes with objectified sex appeal. As Benshoff Griffin (2009) argued tha t although more and more women are entering the Hollywood industry, the sexual objectification of female bodies tends to surround on the female lead while men tend to dominate the main role in superhero film. Methodology Given the exploratory nature of this study is to evaluate gender representation portrayed in 21st century Marvel superhero films; it is proposed qualitative research method of textual analysis will be used to analyse the text in contemporary Marvel’s superhero films. Textual analysis in fact is research method of trying to learn something about people by examining the content, structure, and functions of the messages contained in texts (Frey et al., 1999). In other words, textual analysis may use to describe and interpret the characteristics such as behavioral patterns, values and attitudes of a recorded or visual message. Marvel’s The Avenger (dir. Josh Whedon, 2012) will be selected to evaluate how masculinity and femininity values are constructed among the main characters. In fact, Marvel’s The Avenger is the assemblage of all contemporary Marvels’ superhero made after Ironman since 2008 (Marvel, 2012). This film basically consists of four main characters of Marvel’s superhero that are Iron Man, Captain America, the Hulk and Thor. Furthermore, the film also features with other existing S.H.I.E.L.D agent Hawkeye and Blackwidow. Likewise, analyzing the text in the Marvel’s The Avenger provides the researcher the opportunities to study a few series of contemporary superhero film simultaneously. Indeed, textual analysis consists of both strengths and weaknesses in analysing the gender representation in the film. According to Larsen (1991), textual analysis is able to bring out whole range of possible meaning in the film content. It is also a preferred method for identifying such latent meaning and a powerful tool for researchers who seek to produce theoretically valid interpretations of the targeted text. However, textual analysis required an extremely close reading on the specific text (Frey et al., 1999). It is time consuming and has high maintenance need which the researcher is requires to set up the rules, such as coding. In fact, content analysis according to Weare Lin (2000) is able to determine the presence written and spoken communication or concepts within texts. However, it is obtrusive and a purely descriptive method which it unable to reveal underlying motives for the observed pattern (what but not why). Therefore as the objective of this study is to analyse the gender representation and characters role played in the contemporary Marvel’s superhero films, the purpose of using textual analysis in this study is thus able to provide in-depth understanding on the text. Marvel’s The Avenger In fact, Marvel’s The Avengers is a 2012 American Hollywood film produced by Marvel studios and distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures. In fact, it is featuring with iconic Marvel super heroes Iron Man, the Incredible Hulk, Thor, Captain America, Hawkeye and Black Widow. Marvel’s The Avenger has been ranked as the third highest grossing film in worldwide. However it is interesting that 7 out of 8 leading are male while the only female lead is Scarlett Johansson who plays the role as Black Widow. Marvel Studios has released nine films since 2008 within the Marvel Cinematic Universe: Iron Man (2008), The Incredible Hulk (2008), Iron Man 2 (2010), Thor (2011), Captain America: The First Avenger (2011), Marvels The Avengers (2012), Iron Man 3 (2013), Thor: The Dark World (2013) and Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014) (Marvel, 2014). Significant of study Superhero film is relatively one of the latest development trends in Hollywood film (Gray Kaklamanidou, 2011). However, there has been no much academic research made on superhero movie. It is believe that the increasing number of these films requires an in-depth academic study on the concept of superhero in this globalized society that is emphasize on gender equality. As Ryan Kellner (1990) argued that the representation of certain characters can work towards explaining the political social landscape the current time. It would be interesting to find out how men and women in these movies are represented: how different characters are portrayed, using typically feminine and masculine traits. Therefore this study will contribute to the future research and literature related to gender in action and superhero film. Timeline of research Conclusion This project will be evaluating how gender representation portrayed in 21st century Marvel superhero films by using Marvel’s The Avenger. Textual analysis is because it able to provide in-depth understanding and analysis on the gender representation and characters role played in the film. While the number of superhero is increase, this study serves as a fundamental literature thus able contributes to the future research on gender in action and superhero film. Bibliography References BENSHOFF, H. M, GRIFFIN, S. (2009) America on film: Representing race, class, gender and sexuality at the movies, Oxford: Blackwell Publishing Ltd. BORDWELL, Da. (2006) The way Hollywood tells it: Story and style in modern movies. Berkeley: University of California Press. CODELL, J. L. (2007) Genre, gender, race and world cinema: An anthology, Oxford: Blackwell Publishing Ltd. COHAN, S., HARK, I. R. (1993) Screening the male: Exploring masculinities in Hollywood cinema, London: Routledge. FREY, L., BOTAN, C., KREPS, G. (1999) Investigating communication: An introduction to research methods. (2nd eds.) Boston: Allyn Bacon. GALLAGHER, M. (2006) Action figures: Men, action films, and contemporary adventure narratives, New York: McMillan. GRAYLAND, R., KAKLAMANIDOU, B. (2011) The 21st Century Superhero: Essays on Gender, Genre and Globalization in Film. North Carolina: McFarland. KING, N. (2008) Generic womanhood: Gendered depictions in cop action cinema, Journal of Gender Society, 22, 238-258 [online] Available from: www.swetwise.com [Accessed 9 July, 2014] LARSEN, P. (1991) Textual analysis of  ¬Ã‚ ctional media content, In J. Vercshueren, J. O. Ostman, J. Blommaert (Eds.), A handbook of qualitative methodologies for mass communication research (pp. 121–134). New York, NY: Routledge. Painter, C. Ferucci, Patrik MARVEL’S THE AVENGER. (2012) [Film] Directed by Joss Whedon. California: Marvel Studios. MILLER, K. (2005) Communications theories: perspectives, processes, and contexts. New York: McGraw-Hill. STABILE, C. A. (2009) Sweetheart, This ain’t gender studies: Sexism and superheroes, Communication and Critical/Cultural Studies, 6:1, 86-92 [online] Available from: www.swetwise.com [Accessed 11 July, 2014] THOMPSON, K. (1999) Storytelling in the new Hollywood: Understanding classical narrative technique. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press. WEARE, C., LIN, W. Y. (2000) Content analysis of the World Wide Web: Opportunities and challenges, Social Science Computer Review, 18:3, 272-292.

The Virtue of Men and Women in The Canterbury Tales :: Canterbury Tales Essays

The Virtue of Men and Women in The Canterbury Tales People never change. In every town you will always be able to find the "rich guy," the "smart guy," the "thief," and the "chief." It has been that way since the first man was swindled out of his lunch. Throughout his life, Geoffrey Chaucer encountered every kind of person and brought them to life for us in "The Canterbury Tales," a collection of short stories written in the 1300's. There are tales of saints, tales of promiscuity, tales of fraud, and tales of love. While reading, one has no choice but to come to the simple realization that nothing has really changed from Chaucer's time to ours. In "The Canterbury Tales" Chaucer depicted people from all walks of life. Society then had three basic classes of virtue that most people fell under: the Revered, the Commonfolk, and the Despicable. In the days of Chaucer, these people could be found in any village or town, just as they can be found today in our towns. Times were different then, but the people haven't changed a bit. Chaucer wrote of only three people who are deserving of the title "The Revered." These are the people who are always admired for their altruism, honesty, and kindness. They are proud and courageous with unalterable beliefs and unbreakable morals. Each of them may have a few harmless quirks, but are nevertheless revered. The most known of "The Revered" is the Knight. The Knight served in the Crusades where he fought for his king and the preservation of his beliefs in Christianity. Honor and virtue were reflected in everything he did. The Knight represents one of the most admirable characters in literature and is revered because of what he stands for. Though the Parson did not fight in the Crusades like the Knight, he also served God. The Parson was a man of the church whose beliefs in Christianity were unyielding. Decent and principled, he was a man devoted completely to his congregation. The Parson fully accepted the responsibility bestowed upon him to guard his people from sin. He said, "If gold rusts, what will iron do?" By this he meant that if the priest became corrupt, what would the parishioners do? As a parishioner and a brother of the Parson, the Plowman was a prime example of how well this philosophy worked. The Plowman is considered to reside in society's lowest class. The Virtue of Men and Women in The Canterbury Tales :: Canterbury Tales Essays The Virtue of Men and Women in The Canterbury Tales People never change. In every town you will always be able to find the "rich guy," the "smart guy," the "thief," and the "chief." It has been that way since the first man was swindled out of his lunch. Throughout his life, Geoffrey Chaucer encountered every kind of person and brought them to life for us in "The Canterbury Tales," a collection of short stories written in the 1300's. There are tales of saints, tales of promiscuity, tales of fraud, and tales of love. While reading, one has no choice but to come to the simple realization that nothing has really changed from Chaucer's time to ours. In "The Canterbury Tales" Chaucer depicted people from all walks of life. Society then had three basic classes of virtue that most people fell under: the Revered, the Commonfolk, and the Despicable. In the days of Chaucer, these people could be found in any village or town, just as they can be found today in our towns. Times were different then, but the people haven't changed a bit. Chaucer wrote of only three people who are deserving of the title "The Revered." These are the people who are always admired for their altruism, honesty, and kindness. They are proud and courageous with unalterable beliefs and unbreakable morals. Each of them may have a few harmless quirks, but are nevertheless revered. The most known of "The Revered" is the Knight. The Knight served in the Crusades where he fought for his king and the preservation of his beliefs in Christianity. Honor and virtue were reflected in everything he did. The Knight represents one of the most admirable characters in literature and is revered because of what he stands for. Though the Parson did not fight in the Crusades like the Knight, he also served God. The Parson was a man of the church whose beliefs in Christianity were unyielding. Decent and principled, he was a man devoted completely to his congregation. The Parson fully accepted the responsibility bestowed upon him to guard his people from sin. He said, "If gold rusts, what will iron do?" By this he meant that if the priest became corrupt, what would the parishioners do? As a parishioner and a brother of the Parson, the Plowman was a prime example of how well this philosophy worked. The Plowman is considered to reside in society's lowest class.

The Fat Lady Essay -- Character Analysis, Dr. Yalom, Betty

The Fat Lady Book Report In the third story of Loves Executioner: â€Å"The Fat lady† , Dr.Yalom decides to treat a twenty-seven year old overweight woman named, Betty. Though Dr. Yalom was reluctant to treat Betty at first due to her being obese, Dr. Yalom decides to put aside his counter-transference issues and views treating Betty as a way to improve his skills as a therapist. Not only does Dr.Yalom learn throughout treating Betty that there was more substance to her than he had initially anticipated, but he connects with betty while overcoming his counter-transference issues,helping Betty uncover the pathology of her depression and discovering her identity. First and foremost is Dr.Yaloms first meeting and reactions toward Betty. During first initial meeting, Dr. Yalom is taken back by Betties physical appearance as Dr.Yalom goes into explicit detail for his distaste for fat woman as he states, â€Å"I always been repelled by fat women. I find them disgusting: their absurd sidewise waddle, their absence of body contour,breasts,laps,buttock,shoulders,jawlines,cheekbones, everything I like to see in a woman obscured in an avalanche of flesh.† (Yalom, 2000 p. 94) Dr. Yalom proceeds asking the the typical questions what is troubling her as Betty tells Dr.Yalom that she is depressed and her eating has been out of control. Dr. Yalom, realizing his counter transference issues may make it hard for him to relate or even treat Betty, instead he views Betty as a challenge of being able to overcome his aversion toward fat women as a way of better helping future patients. In the next few sessions Dr.Yalom finds Betties endless chatter about her life extremely unmoving. Dr.Yalom describes their talks as, â€Å"cocktail chatter† with no real substa... ...Yalom, 2000) Betty then inquires about those changes as Dr.Yalom embarrassing admits he did not feel comfortable with obese people. Betty berates Dr.Yalom telling him that he never once touched her in the whole therapy session, let alone look at her directly for the first six months. Betty also tells Dr.Yalom, Ironically, Betty tells him how she cant stand fat people either and thats why she has a distaste for groups. Dr.Yalom then gives her a hug, surprised that he is able to put his arms around the once obese two hundred and fifty pound woman. Not only in the end did Dr.Yalom learn to move past his counter-transferense issues he had with fat women, but he grew with his patient as they both took something away from therapy, Dr.Yalom being empathetic and moving past Bettys intital obese appearance, and Betty appreciating life in the now and becoming a real identity.

Philosophy of Curriculum Essay

My philosophy of curriculum as it pertains to this course and through my new eyes at the end of the course, points to the constructivist-style curriculum as the most logical, meaningful, purposeful, intellectual, and authentic exemplars to model after. Focusing on a more educational description of constructivism, the meaning is intimately connected with experience. I believe students come into a classroom with their own experiences and a cognitive structure based on those experiences. These preconceived structures are valid, invalid or incomplete. The learner will reformulate his/her existing structures only if new information or experiences are connected to knowledge already in memory. Inferences, elaborations and relationships between old perceptions and new ideas must be personally drawn by the student in order for the new idea to become an integrated, useful part of his/her memory. Memorized facts or information that has not been connected with the learner’s prior experien ces will be quickly forgotten. In short, the learner must actively construct new information onto his/her existing mental framework for meaningful learning to occur. So what is the support structure for a constructivist learning setting and how do they differ from a classroom based on the traditional or didactic model? The current American classroom, whether grade school or college level, tends to resemble a one-person show with a captive but often comatose audience. Classes are usually driven by â€Å"teacher-talk† and depend heavily on textbooks for the composition of the course. There is the idea that there is a fixed world of knowledge that the student must come to know. Information is divided into parts and built into a whole concept. Teachers serve as pipelines and seek to transfer their thoughts and meanings to the passive student. There is little room for student-initiated questions, independent thought or interaction between students. The end result is that the instruction set forth for the learner is solely memorization of the facts and no conceptual depth and understanding (Erickson 30). In a constructivist setting, knowledge is not objective; mathematics and science are viewed as systems with models that describe how the world might be rather than how it is. This is an example of the differences between the world of the declarative and procedural knowledge and thinking to understanding the critical empirical and explanatory principles within the curriculum. The role of the teacher is to organize information around conceptual clusters as seen in a concept map and in Gowin’s Vee, in order to help pose questions and unusual situations to engage the student’s interest. Teachers assist the students in developing new insights and connecting them with their previous learning. Ideas are presented holistically as broad concepts and then broken down into parts. The activities are student centered and students are encouraged to ask their own questions, carry out their own experiments, make their own analogies and come to their own conclusions and then eventually applying the new found knowledge and information to brand new situations. Becoming a constructivist teacher is a difficult change since most teachers are prepared for teaching in the traditional manner. It has taken me these past two school years to â€Å"shift my paradigm† and adopt a new one but it does work if you are dedicated to putting in the time and effort to building your own curriculum built around the standards and back by the foundations that have been laid by Piaget, Dewey, Novak, Gowin, Erickson and the many others. These psychologists and experts in the mind and education have contributed to the following characteristics of what I believe is a representation of a constructivist teacher: 1. One of many resources that the student may learn from, not the primary source of information. 2. Engage students in experiences that challenge previous conceptions of their existing knowledge. 3. Allow student responses to drive lessons and seek elaboration of students’ initial responses. Allow student some thinking time after posing questions. 4. Encourage questioning by asking thoughtful, open-ended questions. Encourage thoughtful discussion among students. 5. Use cognitive terminology such as â€Å"classify,† â€Å"analyze†, and â€Å"create† when framing tasks. 6. Encourage and accept student autonomy and initiative. Be willing to let go of classroom control. 7. Use raw data and primary sources, along with manipulative and interactive physical materials. 8. Don’t  separate knowing from the process of finding out. 9. Insist on clear expression from students. When students can communicate their understanding, then they have truly learned. In summary, constructivist teaching offers a bold departure from traditional didactic classroom strategies. The goal is for the learner to play an active role in absorbing knowledge onto his/her existing mental framework. The ability of students to apply their school-learned knowledge to the real world much more valued over memorizing bits and pieces of knowledge that may seem unrelated to them. Curriculum designed with the constructivist approach requires the teacher to relinquish his/her role as sole information-dispenser and instead to continually analyze his/her curriculum planning and instructional methodologies. Clearly, the constructivist approach opens new avenues for learning as well as challenges for the teacher trying to implement it but isn’t it worth it? I believe it is worth every ounce.

Decisions: Good and Bad

Decisions: Good and Bad Introduction In the news today, it seems as though everything we hear is negative. While I was searching for an organization that recently made a good decision, it appears that most of the things we read and/or hear about these days are the bad. I found plenty of information on bad decisions made recently, however talk about positive decision-making seems to be scarce. In this paper, I will discuss my views of a former CEO of a global conglomerate and the positive decisions he has made, as well as a recent poor decision made by another large corporation.A Good Decision For decades, we have heard the brand names Apple or Macintosh. If one were to judge the decision-making skills of Steve Jobs based on the success of Apple, one would have to say that he had to possess some of the best decision-making skills possible. Over the past few years, we have seen the MacBook, iPods, iPhones and the iPad. With the competition of Dell, Hewlett-Packard, Compaq and Microsoft to name a few, the Apple organization has made great strides to maintain its place at the top of the consumers list.One of the best decisions ever made by Steve Jobs was to return to Apple as CEO and take the market by storm with innovative technology and a selection unsurpassed by any other company. Through dedication, hard work and a vision, he has brought technology to a completely new level and others are left to catch up. With the desire to provide consumers with products that they were not even sure that they wanted, Jobs has made his place in corporate America.Through his decisions to take the world by storm and develop the ideas that seemed nearly impossible, he has left quite a challenge in trying to surpass the advancements in technology that he has achieved. A Bad Decision Over the past few years, there has been a vast growth in technology and the variety of products offered to consumers. One of the most popular novelties in entertainment today is the services offered by Netflix. The company began as a mainstream DVD rental provider and later transformed into an online movie-streaming leader.Recently, Netflix experienced an exceptional growth in subscriptions and demonstrated a high customer demand. However, due to terrible management decisions, the image of the company would soon become tarnished. It seems as if the decision-makers of the company misunderstood the reason behind its success and imposed a steep increase in price for the DVD plus streaming subscribers. Offering no rational explanation behind this decision, Netflix quickly experienced a momentous downfall.They did not have content that would make the company indispensable, and since most customers used the services because of the low subscription rates, stock prices would fall and consumers were looking elsewhere. This has now opened up a window of opportunity for newcomers such as Blockbuster, Amazon and Redbox. Conclusion While decisions are made within organizations each day, the l evel of research and the motive behind the decision may be the most important factor.The good decision that I described above was driven by the desire to succeed and to create innovative products and making them available to a large group of consumers. The bad decision seems to have been made out of greed and should never be a factor in making decisions at such high level. I believe that as long as the people making decisions stay focused on what is truly important to the organization, major pitfalls or obstacles may be avoided.

Energy Situation In Pakistan Environmental Sciences Essay

Pakistan has been enduring from energy crisis since the last few old ages, which has earnestly affected its people. The power sector of Pakistan suffers from a serious deficit of up to 5000MW ( USAID Pakistan: Energy Efficiency and Capacity, 2012 ) .The spread between demand and supply has been invariably widening. Peoples are passing insomniac darks in summer. Load casting has become an issue of all the people. Where the rich people can afford UPS and generators, the hapless 1s can merely afford to bear the effects of power outage. Apart from personal jobs of the people, acute power outages have earnestly paralyzed the commercial and economic activities in the state and are making many hurdlings in development of the state. If we examine the present energy profile of Pakistan, it is run intoing its energy demands from different beginnings. Pakistan is bring forthing 48 per centum of its electricity from gas, 33 per centum from hydel power, 17 per centum from oil, two per centum from atomic and one per centum from coal. If we examine the figures, it is clear that Pakistan is underutilizing its natural resources to bring forth electricity. We have failed to work those resources that nature has bestowed upon us. We have non decently tapped our natural resources, even though we could hold met our energy crisis by making that and it is clip we look at this facet with unfastened eyes before the state of affairs gets wholly out of manus doing the hereafter coevalss to endure the rough effects.Energy used by Pakistan and spread between its demand and supply:Energy usage refers to utilize of primary energy before transmutation to other end-use fuels, which is equal to autochthonal production plus imports and sto ck alterations, minus exports and fuels supplied to ships and aircraft engaged in international conveyance ( TheWorldBank, 2012 ) . In footings of per capita ingestion Pakistan ranks comparatively low – 164 out of 217 states ( CIAWorldFactbook, 2003-2011 ) . Energy utilizations and national income per capita are straight related, because energy ingestion is critical to the development of an industrial economic system. In malice of being at the lower terminal of the word-wide energy devouring spectrum, Pakistan faces serious troubles in carry throughing its energy demands due to even lesser supply than the demand of energy. The Government estimates that energy demand will go on to turn during the following two decennaries, with Pakistan necessitating an estimated extra 35,000 MW of power coevals capacity by 2020. Based on the analysis, the expected new power coevals build out will be about 7,700 MW of extra capacity by 2020, go forthing a spread of over 27,000 MW. In a nutshel l, supply rate is neglecting to maintain in sync with the increasing demand rate owing to industrialisation, growing in agribusiness and services sectors, urbanisation, lifting per capita income and electrification of rural and urban countries.Possible solutions to the job of Energy crisis:In order to do up for the shortage and acquire the state out of a serious energy crisis that it is soon facing, both short-run and long-run policy enterprise are needed that enhance the state ‘s capacity to run into its demands. The possible solutions to the energy deficit can be divided into three chief types:1. Conservation of present energy beginningsThis includes cut downing inordinate ingestion of electricity and hence conveying down the demand for energy. This is short term step that can significantly cut down on the burden during peak demand periods by salvaging electricity. Conservation includes alterations in life style as good installing of energy efficient devices, edifice pattern s and electricity distribution and direction programs that optimize the supply when the demand is at its extremum.2. Importing more energyAnother option to assist increase the energy base of the state is depending on more imported fuel. At present Pakistan meets 75 % of its energy demands by domestic resources including gas, oil and hydroelectricity production. Merely 25 % energy demands are being managed through imports. Presently, programs are underway for importing gas from cardinal Asia. However, this scenario is besides certain to hold a negative impact on Pakistan ‘s balance of payments and hence a more reliable and sustainable beginning of energy is required.3. Investing in autochthonal renewable and non renewable energy beginningsThe 3rd option for Pakistan is developing its autochthonal capacity to use the untapped potency of its fuel militias. There is important room for development in all resources including oil, gas, coal and hydel – provided that the profic ient and commercial restraints associated with the public-service corporation of these resources are overcome.Coal as a new enterprise for Pakistan:Despite being a non-renewable energy beginning, surveies indicate that coal is traveling to play a really important function in the planetary energy scenario during the following two centuries. Harmonizing to an IEA study, coal usage is likely to turn from 41 % to 44 % , as a beginning for power coevals, by 2030 due to energy security and monetary value volatility. On the other manus, the portion of coal as a beginning of electricity bring forthing fuel in Pakistan bases at a meager 0.1 % in comparing to the universe norm of 41 % . Given the crisp rise in the oil monetary values in the international market every bit good as the fast depletion of Pakistan ‘s gas militias due to increased demand, it is imperative that Pakistan look towards alternate beginnings of energy including coal. There are a figure of advantages pointed out in favour of this development. These include: Abundance and security of supply. Energy denseness comparable to other beginnings of thermic power. Relatively easier to develop. The excavation and power production engineerings exist and merely an infrastructural development is required prior to their execution Handiness of clean coal engineerings and ways to minimise environmental jeopardies These are the grounds why Pakistan looks towards inventing a feasible scheme for the development of its coal militias at Thar.THARPARKAR COAL MINES:The majority of Pakistan ‘s autochthonal coal resources lie in Sindh. The largest modesty, 175 billion metric tons of lignite coal, is located in the Thar Desert of Sindh. Thar coal is yet to be developed for excavation and power coevals. The development of the Thar resources would supply. The electricity coevals potency of 100,000 MW based on estimated ingestion of 536 million metric tons of coal per twelvemonth, could be a important fuel resource used for proviso of coal base burden capacity in the system supplementing gas based capacity. Further, usage of Thar militias for power coevals would assist in cut downing inordinate trust on imported fuel thereby cut downing the force per unit area of balance of payments in the state. The entire estimated militias in Thar field including measured and conjectural are about 175 billion met ric tons. The existent mensural militias are 2.7 billion tones, the oil equivalent of which is 6.59 billion barrels. The oil equivalent of 175 billion metric tons of coal is about 427 billion barrels. The coal Fieldss cover a entire country of over 9000 sq.km in the Tharparkar desert. The field is covered by sand dunes that extend to an mean deepness of 80 metres. Below that is a bed of sandstone and siltstone which extends from 11m to 127m in thickness. Further underneath are variable sedimentations of clay rock resting on the Bara formation in which coal is embedded. The beds of coal scope in thickness from 0.20m to 22.81m ; the maximal thickness widening up to 36m in certain topographic point. The coal seam itself is present at a deepness of between 114-203m. The chief beginning of H2O in Thar is groundwater. The groundwater is present in three chief aquifers at changing deepnesss. The mean deepnesss are 50m, 120m and more than 200m which means that at least one aquifer is located in the coal bearing zone and will back up the mining/extraction processes ( GovernmentofSind, 2008 ) .Quality of CoalCoal quality and its contents have serious effects on the efficiency of the power w orkss in which it is used and besides on the grade of pollution that is created as a effect of electricity coevals. The coal found in Thar is lignite holding a lower warming value as compared to other types which makes it suited for electricity coevals. Its power coevals capacity is 10,289 MW. The brown coal at Thar has a heating value of 6200 – 11,000Btu/lb. Other of import constituents of the coal and their proportion are: Carbon ( 19.35-22 % ) , Ash ( 5.18-6.56 % ) , Moisture ( 43.24-49.01 % ) , Volatile affair ( 26.5-33.04 % ) and Sulphur ( 0.92-1.34 % ) .Production of electricity from coal:Some of the methods of production of electricity from coal are as follows:Pulverized Fuel ( PF ) engineering:In this procedure, coal is reduced to ticket pulverization signifier, stored and so transported by air to the burner as coal air mixture for burning. This method involves direct combustion of the coal to bring forth heat that is used to bring forth steam from H2O to turn conventional steam turbines. It is a straightforward technique but direct combustion of coal increases the external costs of energy by let go ofing nursery gases and other toxic oxides and fouling particulate affair into the ambiance in big sums. The efficiency of such a system is merely approximately 33 % .Fluidized Bed Combustion ( FBC ) engineering:Fluidized-bed burning ( FBC ) engineering is a type of burning procedure in which the solid coal is suspended on jets of air. In this manner, more efficient commixture of gas and solids occurs, taking t o more efficient heat transportation. The low temperature demand for burning reaction is one of the primary advantages because it reduces the formation of toxic azotic oxide. Additionally, FBC engineering causes inexpensive and easy remotion of sulfur dioxide during burning in comparing with the â€Å" stack scrubber † engineering. Furthermore, add-on of other solid fuels ( such as biomass ) along with the coal can besides be supported by FBC into the reaction mixture.ACoal Gasification ( CG ) technology/IGCC:IGCCA ( Integrated Gasification Combined-Cycle ) A with Carbon Capture and Storage ( CCS ) engineering allows coal to be used to bring forth power as flawlessly as natural gas. IGCC engineering has three basic constituents. In the gasification stage, heat, force per unit area, pure O and H2O are used to interrupt char down into its constituent parts and change over it into a clean man-made gas ( syngas ) .The syngas is cleaned before it can be converted into utility natural gas ( SNG ) which finally fuels the power turbines. Staying particulates are removed from the syngas in the particulate scrubber. Carbon monoxide is converted to carbon dioxide ( CO2 ) by adding steam in displacement vas. The gasification procedure makes it possible to capture most of the quicksilver, sulfurA and C dioxide ( CO2 ) in the syngas. The captured CO2A will be transported via grapevine for usage in enhanced oil recovery or storage in a saline geologic reservoir. The IGCC works so converts the syngas into utility natural gas ( SNG or methane ) , through a procedure called methanation. The SNG, which is comparatively high in energy content, powers two gas turbines. Excess heat contained in the fumes from those turbines so heats H2O to power a steam turbine. The higher energy content of the SNG ( as compared with syngas ) improves the efficiency of the power production. This combined rhythm ends up heightening the power works ‘s efficiency up to 60 % .Gasification is the engineering that most power workss are switching towards global and Thar Coal development is besides expected to construct IGCC workss for an environmental friendly procedure of coevals of electricity.The electricity to be produced from the coal gas would be about Rs. 4 per unit.Environmental Analysis:The beginnings of air pollution from coal based power workss fall include C emanations, particulate affair and other nursery gases and toxic oxides. Carbon emanations and ot her green house gases such as methane and N oxides are of import from the clime alteration perspective whereas toxic oxides and volatile particulate affair pose wellness jeopardies if the human population is exposed to certain degrees. In add-on to these quicksilver and other heavy metals are released which are linked with both neurological and developmental harm in worlds and other animate beings. Fly ash and underside ash are residues created when coal is burned at power workss. In the yesteryear, fly ash was released into the air through the smokestack, but now most of it is captured by pollution control devices, like scrubbers. The chief beginning of groundwater pollution is from the belowground processes that are carried out in the locality of aquifers in order to pull out coal or syngas. This affects the quality of groundwater and besides reduces its measure. It should be kept in head that land H2O is the lone beginning of H2O for the people of Thar. Dirt and Land pollution is a consequence of the excavation procedure itself as it may go forth the land non useable for agricultural or business by life because of drastic alterations in the surface or deposition of harmful affair in the dirt.Clean coal engineering and cut downing the harmful impacts of coal excavation:Clean coal technologyA is a aggregation of engineerings being developed to cut down the environmental impacts ofA coalA energy coevals. Some clean coal engineerings purify the coal before it burns. One type of coal readying is coal rinsing. It removes unwanted minerals by blending crushed coal with a liquid and leting the drosss to divide and settle. Other systems control the coal burn to minimise emanations of S dioxide, N oxides and particulates.A Wet scrubbers, or flue gas desulfurization systems, take S dioxide, a major cause of acid rain, by spraying flue gas with limestone and H2O. Low-NOx ( nitrogen oxide ) burnersA cut down the creative activity of N oxides by curtailing O and pull stringsing the burning process.A Electrostatic precipitatorsA take particulates that aggravate asthma and do respiratory complaints by bear downing atoms with an electrical field and so capturing them on aggregation home bases. GasificationA avoids firing coal wholly. With incorporate gasification combined rhythm ( IGCC ) systems, steam and hot pressurized air or O combine with coal in a reaction that forces C molecules apart. The resultingA syngas, a mixture of C monoxide and H, is so cleaned and burned in a gas turbine to do electricity. Carbon gaining control and storageA is the most promising clean coal engineering. In order to detect the most efficient and economical agencies ofA C gaining control, research workers have developed several engineerings. One of them, flue-gas separation is a technique thatA removes CO2 with a dissolver, strips off the CO2 with steam, and condenses the steam into a concentrated watercourse. The CO2A can so be sequestered, which puts CO2A into storage, perchance belowground, in such a manner that it will stay at that place for good. Flue gas separation besides renders commercially useable CO2. Another procedure, A oxy-fuel burning, burns the fuel in pure or enriched O to make a flue gas composed chiefly of CO2 and H2O which saves the energy required for dividing the CO2 from other flue gasses. A 3rd engineering, A pre-combustion gaining control, removes the CO2 before it ‘s burned as a portion of a gasification procedure. The CO2 removed can be stored in geologic or pelagic reser voirs from where it ca n't come in the ambiance. A DepletedA oilA or gas Fieldss and deep saline aquifers safely contain CO2 while deep belowground coal seams absorb it. A procedure calledA enhanced oil recoveryA already uses CO2 to keep force per unit area and better extraction in oil reservoirs. All signifiers of CO2 storage require careful readying and monitoring to avoid making environmental problemsA Reuse and recycling can besides cut down coal ‘s environmental impact. Land that was antecedently used for coal excavation can be reclaimed for utilizations like airdromes, landfills, and golf classs. Waste merchandises captured by scrubbers can be used to bring forth merchandises like cement and man-made gypsum for drywall.

Jefferson vs. Hamilton: Confrontations That Shaped a Nation Essay

The book by Noble Cunningham seeks to showcase the contrasting ideas employed by Thomas Jefferson and Richard Hamilton in pursuit of forming and building the American nation. It offers analysis and insight surrounding their perceptions on how the country should be governed. The book copies excerpts from the two’s compositions and writings which can make readers appreciate and understand their points of view surrounding the issues of planning, implementation and issues surrounding the period of 1787-1804. On one hand, we see Alexander Hamilton who sought to promote a new approach in the economy wherein he advocates the urban mercantile interests. He advocated the role of a strong central government in the promotion of new economic policies that can improve commerce and industries (Cunningham, 2000). At the same time, he advocated that credit must be supplemented and be supported by adequate planning. Cunningham mentioned that this can be achieved by creating a Central Bank that is administrative of both fiscal and national industries (p.48). On the other hand, Thomas Jefferson who was an anti-federalist sought to advocate the rights of the state rights. Though both actors may adhere to the application of a central government in foreign affairs, Jefferson did not see it also applicable in other domestic and state affairs (Cunningham, 2000). Seeing this, the main argument between the two involves the creation of the Central Bank. Cunningham argued that for Jefferson, he viewed such scenario as a move to centralize the power of decision making from states to the central government (p. 65). In the end, the book offers a good presentation of the contending arguments and view of both actors which in the end paved the way for the creation and development of America during that period. It is through their efforts and contrasting views that their legacies shall forever be imparted in history as individuals who shaped and made changes possible for all. Work Cited Cunningham, Noble, E. Jefferson vs. Hamilton: Confrontations That Shaped a Nation. 2000 (US: Bedford/St. Martins) accessed 19 March 2009.

Project Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words - 1

Project Management - Essay Example Besides allotting the tasks unvaryingly among the project team members the project manager has to monitor the progress of the project on a regular basis. The remaining activities have to be scheduled depending on the current progress of the project. Such a thorough supervision will enable the project manager to ensure that the project is finished well before deadline albeit leaving the team with enough time to test the project outcome rigorously (Kerzner, 2013). It is the duty of the project manager to create a robust interconnectivity between the project team members so that information can be channelized effectively between project team members. Effective communication of information will allow the project manager to learn about the issues that arise in between the different assignment levels within the project subsequent to which they can be addressed appropriately. The project manager will also have to have foresightedness about the probable risk exposures of the project. In that way the individual will be able to make sure that proper contingency plans are at place in order to shield the project from such risks (Kelly, et al., 2013). The fundamental trait of a transformational leader is that the individual goes beyond managing just the everyday operations and makes every effort to formulate strategies that are aimed towards taking the organization, functional department and the team members to the furthest level of performance and success. Leaders following this leadership style emphasize a lot on team building, collaboration, motivation and coordination between employees at several levels of the workflow within the organization (Wang, et al., 2011). This enables transformational leaders to bring the best out of their subordinates thereby enabling them to enhance their productivity and efficiency. By doing so they are able to

Business environment Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Business environment - Coursework Example Such has been the effect of globalization that each and every products and services in the modern business environment are being designed keeping in mind the preferences and tastes of the global customers (Ekholm, Forslid and Markusen, 2007). The extent of globalization has surmounted to a degree where economic policies of each and every country are interdependent. This is precisely because of the fact that economic policies in one country have a corresponding impact on the country with which it shares significant trade relationships (Haskel, Pereira and Slaughter, 2007). It is with regards to the facts that have been mentioned above, the researcher believes the statement, â€Å"National boundaries have been surmounted by the phenomenon of ‘globalization’ and therefore, national governments are no longer able to promote independent economic policies† to be absolutely justified. In this study, the researcher will conduct an extensive qualitative research on literat ures that have been published surrounding the topic. By doing so, the researcher will be endeavouring to collect conclusive evidences justifying the credibility of the proposition stated above. Financial integration is considered to be a by-product of globalization by several researchers. The business activities that are conducted in the financial service sector have become heavily globalized. A noteworthy relevance can be found in the banking and insurance industries where each and every business activities have transcend every international boundary. For instance banks all over the world are heavily engaged in transactions which increase their exposure to various foreign exchanges (Naor, Linderman and Schroeder, 2010). Therefore, any unanticipated fluctuations in the foreign exchange rate could have adverse impact on a particular bank due to its exposure to that currency (Hopkins, 2011). That is why national governments have to be very careful while drafting monetary

Change Management of an Organization Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Change Management of an Organization - Essay Example So the above mentioned lines are indicating one more interesting technique to reach organizational goals, that is changing the people's attitude, their way of working, and behavior towards work so that organization can reach its objectives through change which is probably the only way for it to reach its goals as modernization automatically changes the surroundings, behaviors of buyers, the variety of competition and so on. The business doesn't get changed itself, nor does it require it self to change with out any need as the profitability (growth) or survival is the core objective of any business, but when it comes to change, only external factors make an organization or business change primarily, afterwards the firm changes it self may be in internal manners. The External change drivers that can be seen commonly in this modern world or from the time the changing took place include Mega Environment1, it further includes Technological Element, in which the modern technology that is used outside the firm, perhaps around the world and by the competitors tends to change the organization, the failure to use such technology can result in loss of values, customers, and most importantly long-term profits. The next external change is brought by Economic Element, of course the change in the country's wealth distribution, it's financial debt and the inflation can create unbalance in an organization or any business, such as the decrease in the price of a certain commodity or product can have some negative impact on the firms profitability, specially if the country in which the organization is operated is a socialist economy in which the government owns a lot than the individuals. The next one is Legal-Political Element, these are somewhat the governm ental forces that affect the business or organization from outside, such as passing a new taxation rule, or a new policy which implementation can also make an organization to change its norms and policies, in such cases the organizations are forced to follow such rules, or they can be penalized. The Socio-cultural Elements is another external change driver, here the attitudes, norms, traditions, behaviors etc. that the people of the country in which the organization is operated follow, a good example is that if a food business is being operated and Muslims somehow enter into that area demanding the cautionary meat, the organization would have to change and would have to start making the demanded meat. The last of Mega environments is International Element, these are general norms followed by the organizations being operated around the globe, for instance, the McDonald's in every country has to follow somewhat the same standards that parent company is following, other wise it can be penalized. Now lets discuss an other sort of External Change driver, it is called Task Environment2, it includes Customer and Clients, of course they are the only ones because of whom change is adopted, the customers

Sigmund Freud.His Conception Of Mental Illness Essay

Sigmund Freud.His Conception Of Mental Illness - Essay Example For a long time, mental handicaps were seen as completely insurmountable, just something that nobody could engage with or do anything about. In the 20th century, though, that began to change. The notion that mental illness was treatable began to become widespread, and mental hospitals because places of treatment rather than mere confinement. A good example of the changing attitudes is the 1975 film One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, based on Ken Kesey’s 1962 novel of the same title. In it, Randle McMurphy, played by Jack Nicholson, is transferred from prison to a mental institution, where he challenges the way the institution is run. Prior to his arrival, the institution is essentially a holding pen, a place where people are kept because society doesn’t want to deal with them. There is no real expectation that anyone ever will, or ever can, leave the institution or be cured of their problems. Indeed, McMurphy initially goes there because he thinks it will be an easier place than prison to serve out the remainder of his sentence, only to discover that one he’s in the institutional system, he can be kept there indefinitely against his will. However, by engaging with the other patients as human beings, McMurphy challenges the authority of the institutional system.... The 1960s were a fertile time for changing attitudes, and the liberation of McMurphy’s compatriots should be seen in that context. In 1968, the Special Olympics were founded, as parents of mentally disabled children were encouraged for the first time to take pride in their offspring despite their disability. Prior to this era, such parents were frequently told to have their children permanently institutionalized, and tell people they were dead. As another example, three years prior to the release of One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, there had been a famous television expose of the Willowbrook State School, a grossly abusive and inadequate institution for mentally disabled children and youths. It led to a public outcry and a series of reforms in how such institutions were run. One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, in that sense, is chronicling an unfolding cultural narrative about the treatment of mental handicaps; it’s a story about changing attitudes that came out in a time of changing attitudes. There is often an easy narrative applied to the Civil War, one in which evil, racist Confederates are opposed by virtuous, non-racist Union troops. Few would phrase it in exactly that way, but that is the basic structure of the model many people absorb from pop culture and conventional wisdom. Like most such good-vs.-evil narratives, it is a gross oversimplification that misses much of its own point. Reality is, as ever, more complex. At another end of the spectrum, one finds those who insist that the war had nothing to do with slavery, that that was a mere incidental issue. Considering that every state that seceded wrote an elaborate proclamation of their reasons, and that every one of those documents cites slavery as their central ideological issue, the

Identifying Female Masquerading Through Film Essay

Identifying Female Masquerading Through Film - Essay Example Once spectators feel a comfortable disconnect from the women on screen, they are able to realize that the representations being presented to them on the big screen are exaggerated masks of femininity. An example of this concept in action can be seen in the iconic actress Marilyn Monroe. During her career, Monroe was known for her ability to infuse overt and blatant sexuality into all of her performances. While she quickly became famous for her figure and sexual nature, she was not a person with whom the average female spectator would identify herself with. This disconnect is what the female masquerade is based around. With female spectators subconsciously separating themselves from the women they are seeing on screen, they are able to step back and view how these women use excessive femininity to play a part or get what they want on screen. Although women may be able to take bits and pieces of this type of behavior back into their regular lives, actually infusing this into their dail y world is not something they would feel comfortable doing   - which is why the world of film allows female spectators to pretend to be someone else. The next concept of the imaginary signifier is defined by Christian Metz. This theory consists of tying cinema’s interlocking mechanisms of production, exhibition and the development of movies themselves to the audience response of fantasy, desire and pleasures. As Metz describes, imaginary signifiers are essential in film because their purpose is to have movies act as â€Å"good† objects for audiences.... An example of this concept in action can be seen in the iconic actress Marilyn Monroe. During her career, Monroe was known for her ability to infuse overt and blatant sexuality into all of her performances. While she quickly became famous for her figure and sexual nature, she was not a person with whom the average female spectator would identify herself with. This disconnect is what the female masquerade is based around. With female spectators subconsciously separating themselves from the women they are seeing on screen, they are able to step back and view how these women use excessive femininity to play a part or get what they want on screen. Although women may be able to take bits and pieces of this type of behavior back into their regular lives, actually infusing this into their daily world is not something they would feel comfortable doing - which is why the world of film allows female spectators to pretend to be someone else. The next concept of the imaginary signifier is define d by Christian Metz. This theory consists of tying cinema’s interlocking mechanisms of production, exhibition and the development of movies themselves to the audience response of fantasy, desire and pleasures (Pieto, 2010). As Metz describes, imaginary signifiers are essential in film because their purpose is to have movies act as â€Å"good† objects for audiences. These positive experiences connect audiences with pleasurable emotions and therefore create a draw which will leave film spectators wanting to return to the cinema to experience those same emotions again. This theory can be furthered upon analyzing how people develop the type of movie genres they enjoy. Ask any person what their favorite